Research Finance Administrator Interim

Job Title: Research Finance Administrator

Location: London / Hybrid Working

Department: Post Award Team, Award Services, Research and Innovation Services (RIS)

Grade: £20.76 – £24.88 / hour

Duration: 9 Months, ASAP start

Reports to: Research Finance Manager

We will not consider candidates without prior experience in research financial reporting

About the Institution: Our institution is a globally renowned entity, consistently ranked among the top ten universities in the world. Our diverse community of over 41,500 students from 150 countries and more than 12,500 staff members is dedicated to academic excellence, innovation, and making a positive impact on real-world problems. The newly formed Research and Innovation Services (RIS) directorate supports our position as a world-leading research university, managing a research portfolio of approximately 5,500 active awards and contracts, with an annual research income of about £525M.

Role Overview: We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Research Finance Administrator to join our Post Award Team. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive post-award management support to our academic community and research funders. This role involves managing the financial and administrative activities of externally funded research and innovation projects, ensuring compliance with funder and institutional policies, and delivering high-quality support services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Post Award Management: Oversee a portfolio of research awards, ensuring compliance with funder terms and conditions, institutional financial regulations, and budgetary constraints.
• Support and Guidance: Provide expert advice to Principal Investigators, researchers, and administrative staff on post-award administration and project management.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare, reconcile, and submit expenditure statements and invoices to funding bodies, ensuring accuracy and adherence to deadlines.
• Budget Monitoring: Regularly review project budgets, income, and expenditure, identifying and addressing significant variances.
• Collaboration: Liaise with collaborators and partners on research projects, ensuring deliverables are met and financial documentation is accurately processed.
• Compliance and Assurance: Promote the importance of compliance and assurance, preparing data for audits and supporting audit processes.
• Staff and Student Appointments: Approve financial aspects of staff appointments and studentships, ensuring sufficient funds and project duration.
• Relationship Management: Maintain effective relationships with internal teams and external funding bodies, staying updated on funder terms and conditions.
• System Management: Update financial and administrative systems, maintaining accurate records for each research award.

Person Specification:

• Education: Educated to A-Level standard or equivalent, or relevant experience in financial administration.
• Experience: Proven knowledge of post-award administration, financial database systems, and maintaining accurate financial records. Experience with costing and financial approval of research staff appointments is essential.
• Skills: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and IT skills, with proficiency in Word, Excel, and financial systems. Highly numerate with strong data analysis and reconciliation skills.
• Attributes: Strong organisational skills, ability to prioritise and meet deadlines, excellent customer service orientation, and proactive problem-solving abilities.

Institutional Ways of Working:

• Committed to providing a responsive and helpful service.
• Ability to switch tasks efficiently and understand the broader objectives of the institution.

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit their application, including a CV and cover letter, detailing their suitability for the role based on the person specification criteria.

Contact Information: For further information, please contact [Insert Contact Details].

Join our dynamic team and contribute to our mission of academic excellence and innovation. Apply today to be part of a world-leading research institution.